POSITION PAPER ON JOSE RIZAL'S RETRACTION CONTROVERSY

II. Introduction of the Controversy

To this day, the debate over whether Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero,
has indeed repudiated everything he has written and published in
opposition to the Catholic Church continues. This has been the source of
the most heated debate throughout history, and it continues to be the most
contentious issue in our society today. Dr. Jose Rizal is best known for the
courageous novels he wrote during the Spanish colonization of the
Philippines, in which he fought against the Spaniards. The author fought for
freedom in an unseen but powerful manner through his writing, using his
published works to open the eyes of Filipinos to the malign intentions of the
Spanish government toward our country. This is how he came to be known
as our national hero, but what if our national hero, in the waning moments
of his life, decided to retract everything he had ever said or written?

This position paper discusses the controversy that surrounded Dr.

Jose Rizal's final days. Whether he truly retracted everything he said or
wrote about the Catholic Church.

III. Sides and/or Evidences of the Controversy

Following Jose Rizal's death, numerous disputes arose as a result of

discrepancies in the data regarding his final farewell and so-called
withdrawal. Numerous historians trusted the withdrawal archive of Jose
Rizal based on fragments of evidence discovered 39 years after Jose
Rizal's execution. Numerous antiquarians believe that Jose Rizal withdrew
at the present time, and some think that he did not due to an inconsistency
with the data.

The debate over Jose Rizal's Retraction is about him retracting every
negative statement he made about the Catholic Religion. The primary proof
began when Fr. Manuel Garcia discovered what he believed to be a unique
record containing Jose Rizal's withdrawal in May 1935, 39 years after
Rizal's execution. It has been discussed continuously since certain
antiquarians accepted that it is simply a proliferation and not unique due to
the fact that it was not displayed to the general public before May 1935.
Currently, there are several critical arguments in favor of Rizal's withdrawal,
including the following: The withdrawal record discovered by chronicler Fr.
Manuel Garcia was deemed necessary, as was the subsequent one, as
there were witnesses who were intimately acquainted with the events.

According to Ricardo P. Garcia's widely distributed book The Great

Discussion: Rizal's Retraction, two (2) observers were acquainted with
Rizal's pre-execution circumstances. Fr. Vicente Balaguer was one of the
observers, as was Mariano Martinez Gallegos, a former infantry lieutenant.
Fr. Vicente Balaguer made declarations about Jose Rizal's actions leading
up to his execution, including his admission, fellowship, praised mass, and,
additionally, he prayed the rosary numerous times. Mariano Martinez
Gallegos, a former infantry lieutenant, confirmed that Jose Rizal left an
archive containing his withdrawal with his observers Juan del Fresno and
Eloy Moure, and to substantiate the claims, new deciphered reports were
delivered, including "The Cuerpo de Vigilancia," which is the declaration of
the gatekeeper responsible for watching Jose Rizal, Jose Rizal's brief
writings in Josephine Bracken's Copy of De la Imitación de Cristo and his
final compositions frequently use the term "cross."

Cuerpo de Vigilancia, the person who was watching Jose Rizal at the
time of his execution, delivered an explanation that the public accepts as
the Jose Rizal withdrawal archive. Josephine Bracken's Copy of De la
Imitacion de Cristo is also one of the supporting archives for Jose Rizal's
withdrawal on the grounds that the book contains brief compositions that
state "December 30, 1896, to my beloved and troubled wife, Josephine.
Rizal, Jose." Josephine Bracken penned a handwritten account of her life
that begins, "Before his execution, he married me at 5 a.m." two hours
before his execution.

The evidence that supports Jose Rizal's withdrawal opponents is an

article written by Gabrielle Paul Pascual. Expressed that the minister
intended to coerce Jose Rizal into withdrawing, a portion of the explanation
is that if Jose Rizal withdrew prior to his execution, it could be a safeguard
to change his mind and potentially save his life. And the archive discovered
by Fr. Manuel was a fabrication and misrepresentation in the light of the
fact that Ricardo Garcia composed the book titled The Great Debate. There
was a correlation between the shape of letters, and the withdrawal isn't with
regards to Jose Rizal's person and confidence, as well as contradicting his
previous affirmation of strict contemplation.
IV. The Stands

Positive Stand
1. The retraction document, discovered in 1935, is regarded as the primary
witness to the retraction's reality.
2. The press coverage at the time of the event, the testimony of
"eyewitnesses," and other "qualified witnesses," those closely associated
with the circumstances, such as the head of the Jesuit order, the
archbishop, and so forth.
3. Rizal recited and signed the "Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity" prayer
book.
4. Pious acts committed by Rizal during his final hours, as attested by
"witnesses." The Balaguer's Testimony by Fr. Vicente Balaguer, a Jesuit
friar missionary of the catholic church, claims to have the original copy of
Rizal's lost retraction formula. According to his testimony, Rizal awoke
several times, confessed four times, attended a mass, received
communion, and prayed the rosary, all of which appeared out of character.
5. As attested by "witnesses," his "Roman Catholic Marriage" to Josephine
Bracken. Without a retraction, there can be no marriage.

Negative Stand
1. The retraction document is a forgery.
2. The remaining acts and facts are inconsistent with the retraction story.
Several of these are as follows: The document of retraction was not made
public until 1935. Even Rizal's family members were unaware. There was
no attempt made to save Rizal from the death penalty following his
retraction.
3 . There is no public record of Rizal's marriage to Josephine Bracken.
According to Father Balaguer's statement, Rizal retracted because he
desired to marry Josephine Bracken, a Catholic, but was unable to produce
a certificate when asked. Marriage could not have been the reason for
retraction because there was no marriage certificate discovered. There was
no certificate legalizing Josephine Bracken's marriage to Jose Rizal.
4. Rizal's behavior over the course of his final days at Fort Santiago, and
particularly over the last 24 hours, do not indicate conversion. Rizal's burial
was kept secret; he was buried outside the Paco cemetery's inner wall; the
record of his burial was not placed on the December 30 page for entries,
but on a particular page that also contains the record of at least one other
admitted non-penitent.
5. The third chief line of argument against the retraction is that it is out of
character.
Rizal was not buried in a dignified manner. Ten months after his death,
Rizal's body was buried. He was also buried in an Anti-Catholic Church
cemetery without a coffin. He should have been properly buried if he had
ever converted back to Catholicism.
Dr. Raul Nido:
I personally conclude from the evidence. If you use a "weighing scale" to
compare the evidence between retraction vs. non-retraction. There is an
abundance of solid evidence in favor of retraction. That is why the most
objective historians have concluded in favor of it. Rizal really retracted.
V. Final Stand (Generalization)

Rizal was indeed a courageous man. He did everything he could to

help every Filipino obtain the reforms they desired, including equal
treatment, the right to Spanish Cortes, and the return of land conquered by
Spanish officials. There have been numerous allegations published,
regardless of whether Rizal retracted or not. Rizal, in my humble opinion,
did not retract. Given how tough, courageous, and intelligent he was, he
must have known what he would face due to publishing such books critical
of the Spanish and even articles critical of the religion that Spaniards had
introduced into our land. Among the compelling pieces of evidence, I could
offer the following:
1. Distinction between the phrases and sentences in Balaguer's report and
the original copy allegedly discovered by an archbishop in Manila
2. The Spaniards hired a forger to perpetrate the same crime as that
committed against Apolinario Mabini many years ago.
3. The retraction was not accepted by Rizal's family. According to one of
the articles I retrieved, "during Rizal's last phone call to his family, he was
unable to mention anything about retraction matters."
4. One of the reasons he would retract is to obtain an official marriage with
Josephine Bracken, but the reality is that no such marriage happened.

Rizal is not a man who is anti-religion; instead, he wrote such things

because Spaniards are the reason religion began in the Philippines and are
the reason Filipinos endured so much pain and oppression at the hands of
officials during their time.
 Rizal's belief in God is unmistakable. He even penned articles
describing his awe at encountering the supernatural being. His writings do
not directly criticize God; instead, he asserts that "religion" is the primary
source of suffering.

Whatever choices Rizal made before his exile at Luneta, whether he

retracted them or not, does not diminish his humanity. Everything was
centered on liberty. He previously had the freedom to fight for Filipino
rights; naturally, he also had the privilege to care for his family in his final
days. We cannot deny that he went to great lengths to defend us against
colonialists. He developed the fortitude to publish the booms directed at
Spaniards, which served as a wake-up call for the entire country.
Additionally, Senator Jose Diokno once stated, "Surely, whether Rizal died
a Catholic or an apostate adds or subtracts nothing from his greatness as a
Filipino... Catholic or Mason, Rizal is still Rizal - the hero who courted death
'to demonstrate to those who deny our patriotism that we know how to die
for our duty and our beliefs."

Rizal's sacrifice can serve as an inspiration for everyone and a

reminder that fighting for something does not necessitate blood or
weapons; instead, if one has enough wit, one can use it as armor to
express whatever opinion or stance one wishes, regardless of the
circumstances. Rizal exemplifies the value of remaining calm in the face of
adversity, enabling us to think clearly about the next course of action.

Sacrifices are an integral part of life. We may not be like Rizal, who
used his wit to fight for the reforms that everyone desired a long time ago,
but we do have these small deeds in our lives that make us feel like little
heroes to ourselves and those around us. May we always remember our
heroes' hardships and carry them in our hearts as an inspiration to lend a
helping hand whenever we can help someone or a group of people.
VI. References

[1] Garcia, Ricardo P. (1964). The great debate : the Rizal retraction.
Quezon City [Philippines] : R.P. Garcia Pub. Co
[2] Jose Rizal [The Retraction]. (n.d.). Jose Rizal University.
http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html
[3] Laubach, F. C. (1936). Rizal: man and martyr. Manila, Philippines:
Community Publishers, Inc.
[4] Pascual, Ricardo Roque. (1935). Dr. Jose Rizal beyond the grave :
a vindication of the martyr of Bagumbayan. Manila : Manlapit Press
[5] Rizal's Retraction: Thoughts and Ideas - Readings in Philippine
History. (2020, May 28). [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyD760wSw_M
[6] Santos, T. U. (2011, October 9). Rizal's retraction: Truth vs. Myth.
The
Varsitarian.https://varsitarian.net/news/20111004/rizals_retraction_t
ruth_vs_myth
[7] Uckung, P. J. V. (2012, September 19). The Rizal Retraction and
other cases. National Historical Commission of the
Philippines.https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-rizal-retraction-andother-cases/